The seat was created in a redistribution in 1899, and was abolished when the Tasmanian parliament adopted the Hare-Clark electoral model in 1909. It was first filled at a by-election on 10 April 1899, notable for being the first occasion on which the Labor Party contested a Tasmanian seat. Its candidate, R. Matthews, gained 40% of the votes[1]
In 1903, Labor's James Long won the seat.[2] At the 1909 election he successfully transferred to the multi-member seat of Darwin (now known as Braddon), but resigned the following year to successfully contest an Australian Senate seat.
Newman, Terry (1994). Representation of the Tasmanian People. Tasmanian Parliamentary Library. ISBN0-7246-4147-5.
Hughes, Colin A.; Graham, B. D. (1976). Voting for the South Australian, Western Australian and Tasmanian Lower Houses, 1890-1964. Canberra: Australian National University. ISBN0-7081-1334-6.